Across the Night
by LeaDepp
Summary: Something big is brewing on the Hellmouth. Buffy and Spike are wigging. Angel's having dreams. There's a slayer from the other side of the world. Its big with the uh and oh. B/S
1. Eye of the Beholder

Across The Night  
  
Summary - Something's brewing on the Hellmouth. Spike and Buffy are wigging. Angel's dreaming. There's a slayer from the other side of the world. It is big with the uh and oh. B/S  
  
Timeframe - Just before 'Dead Things' on Buffy. After 'Waiting in the Wings' on Angel. Title is from a silverchair song... not really anything to do with the story. You should get their new album though, it's bloody brilliant.  
  
Rating - R (I think. American ratings are so weird.) Equivalent to M15+ if you wanna go the Aussie way.  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine just borrowing. Would love to keep Spike though.  
  
A/N - One of my first attempts at fanfic. Please read and review, I really wanna know what ya think. If you want it take it. I'd be flattered. Just let me know where it's going so I can gloat.  
The Eye of the Beholder  
  
The Scoobies all sat silently around the research table in the Magic Box. His eyes flickering around the girls, Xander suddenly realised that they had all retreated into themselves. They hadn't really talked since Buffy had come back. They hadn't really done anything unless a demon had been involved.  
  
Settling his eyes on Buffy, Xander watched as she stared at the table. It wasn't staring in the strictest since, it was more like that time she became catatonic when they were running from Glory. The only difference was the occasional blink. Xander looked at Buffy closely. Under her make-up she looked like the ninth level of hell. She was tired, hell they all were. She was worse. Across her left cheek bone Xander could see a slight bruise, completely invisible if you weren't looking. What scared Xander most were her eyes. Once sparkling with life, he saw they were now glazed over like she was going to break any second. Buffy was hurting more they they could ever have conceived. Just looking in her eyes caused Xander's heart to shatter. Suddenly he knew that every breath hurt Buffy more than he could imagine. More than all the tragic events in her life combined ever could. And, gulp, her was a part of what caused that.  
  
Fearing a huge public scene which no one was ready for, Xander tore his gaze from Buffy and turned to Willow. A look at his best friend and his shattered heart ceased to beat. Curled up in her chair Willow had dropped her perky facade and was letting him in more that she had since Oz. Noticing the the beads of sweat on her forehead, Xander knew he was only beginning to grasp how had the entire magic thing was for Willow. Xander stared shocked as Willow tightened her grip on the pencil she was holding in both hands and snapped it in two. Feeling like he had witnessed a private moment Xander turned away dumbfounded.  
  
Xander had no idea they were hurting so much. How could things get so far out of control and he didn't notice? Struck by his revelations Xander gave his attentions to Dawn. Dawn sat slightly apart from the group apparently engrossed in "Looking for Alibrandi". Xander vaguely remembered her chatting away about the new exchange student from Australia - hence the teacher's new love of all things Down-Underish. Feeling Xander's eyes on her Dawn looked up, grinned at him before returning to the book. Xander watched as a myriad of expressions crossed the young teens face until she finally let out a small giggle. Okay, so maybe she was actually reading the book.  
  
Feeling like a tool, Xander turned his attention to the counter where Anya stood doing the dance of capitalist superiority. One look at his love and Xander couldn't help but grin goofily. Her brute frankness and the way she wore her heart on her sleeve were what had attracted him to Anya in the first place. That and black condoms. There was no second guessing this girl. If she was upset he knew, if she was angry, boy did he know.  
  
Xander sighed. Something had to be done about he gloomy mood. Even Anya's dance of capitalist superiority didn't have the usual zing to it. Sighing again Xander realized the usual jokes and banter weren't going to cut it this time. Ladies and Gentlemen, fasten your seat belts, Scooby airlines is about to crash. Big time.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
Angel stood alone in a corridor. Walking through the first door on the left he found himself in an empty room, the only sound a crying Connor. The door behind him slammed shut, silencing the crying. Angel turned and tried the door. Locked. Resting his head against the frame, Angel heard the sound of soft laughter. Turning Angel was faced with Buffy holding what looked to be a child.  
"How did you..."  
"What? Get here? Left Kansas a long time ago, Toto." As sudden as she had appeared she was gone.  
  
Angel jumped a foot when he felt a warm hand on his arm. He looked down to see that the hand belonged to Willow.  
"Come. I think you'll like this," Willow took Angel's hand and the scene changed.  
  
Angel found himself in Buffy's kitchen still gripping Willow's hand. He watched as Xander, Anya, Dawn, Tara and Willow giggled in the kitchen. Surprised Angel once again looked down at his hand to see who's hand he was squeezing. He was even more surprised to find that Willow was still the person holding his hand.  
"This is the real me," she stated, deadpan.  
  
Angel looked at the Willow at his side again, noticing her eyes were black pools, her mouth was grim and her clothes just plain depressing. Shocked he looked at the Willow giggling in the kitchen and was comforted by the happy, perky girl he used to know.   
  
Angel looked over happy Willow's shoulder and the laughter in the kitchen suddenly went on mute. Buffy and Spike were sitting side-by-side on the back porch laughing grimly about something one of them had just said. Before he could ask depressed Willow dropped his hand and the scene changed again.  
  
Angel was alone in the Hyperion Lobby. Connor rested in his arms. Cordelia gracefully came down the stairs, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, dressed casually in sweats.  
"We're not going to find it here," she told Angel as she reached him. "Click your heals together three times. That's not going to work."  
Cordelia pointed over Angel's shoulder and pointed to Wes, Fred and Gunn all working in complete silence. Gunn was shadow boxing, Wes bent over some texts whilst Fred was researching on the computer, glasses sliding down her nose.  
"You're gonna need all the help you can get and then some."  
  
Angel sat bolt upright in his bed breathing hard.  
"Keep on down, keep on down the road." He heard someone sing softly from the corner of the room. Angel looked over to see Spike calmly smoking his cigarette while he played cards with a young brunette girl who quite possibly could have been Dawn.  
  
The vampire with a soul woke for real this time.  
"Man you musta been out. He was screaming the house down." Angel looked around the room slightly disorientated by his dream. Locating the speaker, he found Cordelia looking at him quite amused whilst she gently nursing Connor as she fed him from a bottle.  
"Bad dream, huh?" she asked looking pointedly at the dishevelled sheets.  
"What? Oh, yeah." Angel paused. "Cordy, what are you doing? It's," Angel looked at the clock and trailed off, "one in the afternoon." Cordelia looked at Angel quite amused. "Cordy can you leave so I can get up?"  
  
Cordelia looked at Angel like he had just grown a second head. "Why do I hav - oh." Blushing slightly Cordelia gathered Connor more securely in her arms and left the room.  
  
Sighing as he got up, Angel tried to shrug the unpleasantness of his dreams from his thoughts. Passing it off as just being tired Angel, now fully clothed, left the room to find Cordelia levitating slightly at the doorway. Seeing Angel Cordelia began to explain her vision, "Buffy, Willow, Xander and the rest of the gang all fighting some demons. Real kinda vague." Cordelia and Angel stood in the corridor looking at each other disbelievingly.  
"We're going to Sunnydale," Angel announced, breaking a long silence.  
Cordelia looked at Angel, her protest written all over her face. Angel just knew her first words were going to be about the telephone. Before she could open her mouth Angel cut Cordelia off.  
  
"I had a dream," he said simply.  
  
TBC 


	2. Old Friends, New Enemies

Across The Night  
  
Summary - Something's brewing on the Hellmouth. Spike and Buffy are wigging. Angel's dreaming. There's a slayer from the other side of the world. It is big with the uh and oh. B/S  
  
Timeframe - Just before 'Dead Things' on Buffy. After 'Waiting in the Wings' on Angel. Title is from a silverchair song... not really anything to do with the story. You should get their new album though, it's bloody brilliant.  
  
Rating - R (I think. American ratings are so weird.) Equivalent to M15+ if you wanna go the Aussie way.  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine just borrowing. Would love to keep Spike though. Maybe if I ask real nice.  
  
A/N - One of my first attempts at fanfic. Please read and review, I really wanna know what ya think. If you want it take it. I'd be flattered. Just let me know where it's going so I can gloat.  
  
Old Friends, New Enemies  
  
Life is pain. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.  
- Westley, The Princess Bride  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Buffy patrolled the cemetery appearing to be lost in thought. No thinking tonight, just beating and slaying. She sighed in frustration. Just Buffy's luck, whenever she really wanted to beat the crap out of something there wasn't even a lousy fledgling in sight. Buffy felt a familiar twitch in her spider sense.  
"Go home, Spike." Buffy smiled, wickedly, as she kept walking. "Unless you came to pick a fight."  
Spike smirked. "So what's got your panties in a twist this time, luv. Or should I ask who?"  
Buffy stopped walking her back still to Spike. "Angel's coming," she announced quietly.  
  
The smirk vanished from Spike's face and was replaced with a slightly wounded look. Turning Buffy finally looked at Spike.   
"Fight me," she asked simply.  
Before he could react Spike caught a roundhouse kick in the face. Stumbling slightly back Spike grinned and blocked Buffy's next attack.   
  
Punch. Kick. Block. Flip. Block.  
  
"Who the hell does he think he is?" Buffy fumed.  
  
Flip. Kick. Block.  
  
"Slayer here! Don't need him. Just 'cos Cordelia had a vision."  
  
Block. Punch. Flip. Kick. Block. Flip. Straddle. Pin.  
  
Buffy surveyed Spike from her vantage point. Spike was grinning despite having lost the fight. 'Pig,' Buffy thought idly. She watched half amazed as Spike right jaw started to bruise before her eyes. Unconsciously Buffy licked her lips.  
"Gonna sit here all day, Slayer?" Spike asked breaking Buffy from her revere. Glancing quickly at Spike's watch Buffy groaned inwardly.  
"Damn," she cursed aloud. "We were supposed to meet Angel and his lackey's at the Magic Box fifteen minutes ago."  
Buffy jumped up and waited while Spike brushed himself off. Together vampire and slayer walked off into the night.  
"Why are you even wearing a watch anyway?" Buffy asked as if the idea suddenly struck her as strange. Which for a vampire, well, yeah, strange.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
The ice age had just revisited a small magic shop in Sunnydale, California. At the research table Anya and Xander sat together each glaring to the other side of the shop. Off to the side Dawn sat pretending to be reading her but was really glaring over the cover. Willow and Tara, who they had called in because of the 'emergency', each sat on opposing sides of the table both silently staring at their feet. Across the room where Anya and Xander were glaring, stood Angel Investigations team. Angel was glaring intently at Xander, while Cordelia was glaring back at Anya, who had proclaimed upon her entry to the shop 'You can't have Xander'. Fred and Gunn entertained themselves by talking softly in the corner. Wesley was holding Connor trying to ignore Fred and Gunn. Lorne was glancing curiously over at the Scoobies desperately wanted the chance to read them.  
  
"Geez, where is she?" Cordelia groaned, impatient with the silence and the waiting.  
"She probably got caught up by vampires on her way to pick up Spike," Anya replied icily.  
"Spike?" Angel questioned, his voice tinged with hate and a slight bit of jealously.  
"Yeah, he's part of the gang now," Dawn told him, enjoying watching the hulking vampire squirm.  
  
The coldness once again settled over the Magic Box once again, only to be broken by a giggling vampire and slayer bursting through the front door. Buffy stopped abruptly causing Spike to crash into her from behind.  
"Bloody hell slay-er," Spike cut himself off when he saw they had become the centre of attention. The icy silence was now replaced by an amazed silence of which Dawn was the first to break.  
"Buffy, what happened? Your both all bruised and scruffy." Buffy looked at Dawn blankly for a second.  
"Huh? Oh, demon. Big one. Killed it."  
"Spike," Angel said flatly giving Spike a cold look.  
"Peaches," Spike replied giving Angel exactly the same look.  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes and gave Spike warning kick in the shin before entering the shop fully and seating herself on the counter. Spike followed her inside and leaned up against said counter, reaching for his cigarettes. Before the cigarette had even reached his mouth Buffy had plucked the durry from Spike's fingers and placed it in the rubbish bin behind the counter. Buffy just shrugged when she caught Spike's glare.   
  
The stunned silence as everyone watched the blonde pair was broken when Fred asked Wesley louder than she had intended, "So that's the girl with the goofy name?"  
"Hey!" Buffy protested the same time as Spike leered at Fred and drawled, "Oh, I like her, Angelus. She's cute." Fred shrunk back visibly behind Gunn, extremely intimidated.  
"She's a little too sane for you, William," Angel replied coolly.  
As Spike opened his mouth to retort, Buffy decided now would be the time for intervention before she had to resort to breaking a few bones. "You two can get out the measuring sticks later but right now I've got a few questions I would like answers for." Spike looked properly scolded while Angel looked at Buffy shocked with the way she was acting. Clearly having Spike around was rubbing off on her. "First up, what's with the kid?"  
  
Angel shocked looked turned to one of pure terror as the Sunnydale crew waited for an answer. Angel shifted very uncomfortably. "Buffy, can we talk?"  
Buffy looked at Angel firmly, "So talk."  
As Angel began to shift even more uncomfortably, Buffy began to tap her foot against the counter. "Um, Connor... ah."  
Buffy groaned loudly and the room turned to her shocked. "Let me make this easier. My guess is this kids part of some big cosmic whoops and you're the father. Who's the mother? Cordelia? The chick who thinks my name's goofy? Wesley?"  
"Darla," Angel answered his voiced strained.  
"So she was brought back from dust. Ginormas cosmic whoops." Buffy answered coolly.  
Cordelia felt the sudden need to step in. "I've got two questions. Who are you and what have you done with the real Buffy? And, how do you know all this?"  
Buffy rolled her eyes. Same old Cordelia. "I feel I really don't have to answer that first question, if it was one. But to answer the second one, I had a dream about the same time things started going hell-ish with Glory." Obviously sick of the conversation Buffy looked curiously over Cordelia's shoulder at Gunn, Fred and Lorne. "So, no one gonna introduce us?"  
  
Fred paled and looked as if she had just committed a serious offence. "I'm so sorry," she rushed. "I'm Fred, this is Gunn and the guy over there is Lorne. We all work for Angel."  
"They work for you?!" Spike asked and Buffy kicked him in the shin.  
"Pleasure," Buffy greeted and held out her hand. Fred warmly took Buffy's hand and moved to do the same with Spike, trembling slightly, but his hands were busy fiddling with his lighter, clearly bored. Buffy poked Spike in the shoulder and like a child he quickly put away his toy and did as 'mummy' wished. Spike reached out his hand and just was Fred was about to take it she stopped.   
"Uh, you've got blood on your hand," she told him not in the least fazed but still not willing to take his hand. Spike pulled his hand back and studied the back of his knuckles and sure enough a small trail of blood lay across them. Unconsciously Buffy hand went to her face and she traced a small almost healed cut across her cheek. Ever observant Angel noticed this and looked at the pair very strangely.  
"You two have been fighting," he accused.  
"What? No way!" Buffy protested way too quickly.  
Xander burst in to fits of giggles quite suddenly. "You really have been left out of the loop haven't you?" he asked between giggles. Xander caught the look on Buffy's face and stopped giggling. "I'm the one who's been left out of the loop aren't I?"  
All attention was now focused on Buffy and Spike and Buffy shrunk back against the counter.  
"The chips not working?" Anya asked. "My God!" Anya paused for a second. "He's near the money. Get him away from the money."  
"Buffy, how come you didn't tell us? You're not the only one he's tried to kill numerous times," Willow intervened, ever the level-headed one. Buffy was now intently staring at the floor. She definitely didn't want to be there. Seeing this Willow had an epiphany. "Unless the chip works completely fine."  
"Will, are you stoned? What are you talking about? How come no one's killed Spike?" Xander paused. "How come I don't have a massive headache from trying to kill Spike." As if wanting to rectify his words Xander pulled a stake from his jacket and rushed Spike.  
  
Buffy stopped Xander before he could reach Spike. "It's not the chip, Xand," Buffy told him. Letting Xander go, Buffy looked at the floor seriously not wanting the next words to come from her mouth. But they had to, it was the only way. "I came back wrong. Spike and I were fighting. It's not the chip. Its me."  
  
Silence settled over the little magic shop for the billionth time that night. Feeling that this was a Sunnydale matter Fred, Wesley, Gunn and Lorne all tip-toed towards the door while Cordelia went to retrieve Angel.  
"Buffy, I'm so sorry-" Willow started.  
"You're always sorry, Will," Buffy cut in. "You're sorry you brought me back in my coffin. You're sorry you pulled me out I heaven. You're sorry you brought me back wrong. Sorry just don't cut it no more, Will." Buffy's voice was quiet and flat but what worried everyone was her sudden lack of emotion.  
  
"Angel!" Cordelia hissed tugging on his arm. Angel ignored her he caught a strange yet familiar smell from Buffy and Spike. His faced twisted into shock as Angel realise exactly what he was smelling. Sex. Catching Angel's look of abject horror, disgust and disbelief Spike placed himself directly between Buffy and Angel.  
"I think you should leave."   
Cordy, who had also caught Angel's look began to tug even harder on Angel's arm. "Angel," she pleaded. Something in Cordelia's voice struck Angel and he reluctantly backed off giving Spike a look which clearly told him that they would finish this later. With a flourish of a duster and the tinkle of the bell the Angel Investigations team vacated the Magic Box.  
  
The Scooby gang had been completely oblivious to the scene playing out before them. Willow sat staring at her hands silent tears running down her face as she realised for the first time exactly what she had done to her best friend. Next to her Anya sat mouth opening and closing shocked into a very rare silence. Her face betrayed what she couldn't put into words, what kind of demon was Buffy. On Anya's other side Xander sat uncharacteristically chewing on his thumbnail while he stared at the table top. His thoughts rushed through his mind so fast he was unable to decipher an intelligible one. Between Xander and Tara but slightly apart from the group Dawn sat glaring at the Scoobies collectively. What had they done to her sister? Finally Tara sat her gaze flicking from her hands to Buffy and back to her hands again.  
  
The silence in the Magic Box continued to drag out as each of the Scoobies tried to find their voices. Finally it was the ever talkative Xander who snapped out of the speechlessness.  
"Why didn't you tell us Buffy? We could have helped."  
"I'm gonna go hit things," Buffy replied, sliding off the counter and making her way to the training room. Silently Spike followed and as Xander moved to do the same but Dawn's voice stopped him.  
"What did you do?" The Scoobies looked at Dawn like rabbits caught in headlights. "Just fix it," she ground out, retreating to the most distant corner of the shop.  
  
Buffy ignored the click of the training room door and continued her assault on the punching bag. Cautiously Spike approached. Once he was within range Buffy delivered a spinning kick to Spike's chest sending him stumbling backwards.  
  
Ignoring the thuds and grunts coming from the training room Tara silently got up and chose a thick book from the Magic Box library. She placed the book on the table with a loud thunk. The message in that simple thunk was clear. They weren't going to fight, they weren't going to waste time on guilt. They'd fix it and then things could get personally hellish.  
  
Buffy swept Spike's legs from underneath him and he joined her on the floor. Buffy struggled to her feet, before she was even half way up, Spike grabbed her arm and pulled her on top of him. Their breathing became synchronised as their eyes locked. Buffy's mind went blank, except for three words. Want. Take. Have. Pinning Spike's arms above his head Buffy crushed her lips to his.  
  
Seeing the Scoobies resolve Dawn cautiously walked over to the research table and began to flick through one of the books Tara and Willow had chosen. None of the people who were sitting at the table noticed as the thuds and grunts from the training room took on a completely different tone. The Scoobies read on and one by one they all drifted off to sleep on their open books.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
Across town in a quiet cemetery a pretty, young brunette girl walked twirling a stake expertly in her left hand. She sung quietly under her breath adding to her obviously bored air. Behind her unnoticed, a vampire was rising from his grave. Just as the vampire was about to grab her the girl turned and faced him.  
"Gee, mate, is that how ya welcome a tourist? 'Cause I just gotta say - rude." she asked in a thick accent before plunging her stake in his heart. The confused vampire promptly turned to dust.  
  
TBC  
  
Review me please... I wanna be better. 


	3. Matters of the Heart

Across The Night  
  
Summary - Something's brewing on the Hellmouth. Spike and Buffy are wigging. Angel's dreaming. There's a slayer from the other side of the world. It is big with the uh and oh. B/S  
  
Timeframe - Just before 'Dead Things' on Buffy. After 'Waiting in the Wings' on Angel. Title is from a silverchair song... not really anything to do with the story. You should get their new album though, it's bloody brilliant.  
  
Rating - R (I think. American ratings are so weird.) Equivalent to M15+ if you wanna go the Aussie way.  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine just borrowing. Would love to keep Spike though.  
  
A/N - One of my first attempts at fanfic. Please read and review, I really wanna know what ya think. If you want it take it. I'd be flattered. Just let me know where it's going so I can gloat. Sorry guys this one is a bit shorter.  
  
Matters of the Heart  
  
Cordelia watched with a small smile on her face as Angel gently rocked his son back to sleep. It was the cutest thing she had ever seen. Connor had managed to wake them once again at the crack of dawn. A feat he had managed ever since he had been born. Wesley thought it had to be something to do with his vampire heritage and everyone had to agree with that theory.  
"I'm fine, Cordy."  
Cordelia had jumped. She hadn't realised that Angel knew she was there. Sighing Cordelia left her vigil at the door and walked into the room.  
"You're not fine," Cordelia told him, while Angel looked at her as one might if she had suddenly sprouted two heads. "C'mon, Angel, even I'm having the major wiggins." Cordelia paused waiting for Angel to say something. Seeing he was going to stay quiet Cordelia forged on. "The love of your unlife just practically guesses what happened for you to suddenly get a child, a supposedly impossible event." Cordelia paused again waiting for Angel to say something but the vampire just put his son to back to bed. Sighing as she realised Angel was going to do his impression of a mute Cordelia tried again. "Plus the whole weirdness of her and Spike patrolling together. That and actually being able to be five feet away from each other and neither one of them being dead. Something 'ewie' is definitely going on there."  
"They're sleeping together," Angel told her flatly and left the room. Cordelia made her patent 'ick' face and followed Angel who was now rummaging through one of their bags.  
"And you don't care. You're just gonna let Spike and Buffy," Cordelia visibly shuddered, "OK still working through the ew here." Cordelia stopped her rant and her eyes widened as Angel turned battle axe and stake in his hands. "Or not. Angel have you really thought this through. I mean, daylight."  
"Great thing about Sunnydale," Angel told her, "excellent sewer system." Without another word, Angel slipped down to the mansion's basement, intent on his mission.  
"Oh crap," Cordelia muttered turning to find some clothes other than her pyjamas.  
  
Buffy sighed contentedly, half asleep, and snuggled closer into the leather. Suddenly she stopped and her eyes flung open. 'Not again' one half of her brain groaned while the other more annoying half told her that she could get used to this. Getting up slowly as not to aggravate any of her muscles which were all screaming at her, Buffy began to gather her clothes. Buffy was still looking for her shirt when a bang from the front of the shop caused her to jump. Grabbing Spike's pants and boots she hurled them at him, waking him up.  
"Someone's out there," she hissed.  
  
The Scoobies all jumped awake as the front door banged open and a smoking figure rushed in. Open mouthed the Scoobies watched as Angel, packed with weapons proceeded to put himself out. No longer in danger of becoming dust Angel looked at the Scoobies and asked gruffly, "Where is he?"  
"He? Who's he?" Dawn asked feigning innocence.   
Angel took a deep breath trying to calm himself. Insolent teen and enraged vampire - not good for the teen. Angel caught Spike's scent in the air and forgot the Scoobies instead flung the training room door open so hard he almost broke the hinges.  
"Hey!" Anya protested. However her next thought died on her lips as the scene playing out in the training room shocked even her.   
  
Spike stood in the centre of the room fastening his belt whilst Buffy was looking under one of the mats in her bra and pants.  
"Shirt?" she asked. "Have you seen my shirt?"  
"I really don't see why you need it, pet," Spike drawled lazily as he plucked the offending article off the dummy's head and tossed it to her. Buffy just glared as she began to tie up the ties at the back, both still oblivious to their current audience.  
  
"Oh... my... god!" Dawn squealed, breaking said audience out of their shocked silence.  
  
The front door banged open again and the rest of the AI gang came rushing through Cordelia in the lead. "Have you guys seen Angel? He's gotten all paybackie and is looking for Spike 'cause he and Buffy are... This is sounding wrong even before I finish." Angel had used the current distraction to pin Spike against the wall and hold him at stake point.  
"'Lo, Peaches," Spike drawled, his patent smirk planted firmly across his face. Buffy looked from Angel and Spike to the Scoobies and back to Angel and Spike again. Like a sudden epidemic silence settled over the magic shop again and the occupants look expectantly at Buffy, who was looking at the floor as if she could will it to open beneath her.  
  
Anya was the first to break the silence in her usual untactful way, "See honey," she whispered loudly, "I told you they'd get together eventually. Not that I blame her. Spike's quite the hottie." Xander looked at Anya like she had suggested they go get tortured by vampires for fun while Willow, Tara, Fred and Cordelia eyed a shirtless Spike unable to deny the attraction.  
  
"I think its all very romantic," Fred piped up. She felt everyone look at her so she rushed to explain. "A slayer and a vampire, destined to be mortal enemies, but falling in love along the way." Fred looked wistful for a moment and then smiled brightly at Buffy.  
"This is just wrong," Xander stated desperately. "Willow tell them its wrong."  
Willow took her trademark of a deer caught in headlights. "I... um... I... I kinda think Fred and Anya are right." Xander gave Willow an incredulous look which she ignored and talked straight to Buffy. "I really think that its okay."  
  
A tall man, quietly slipped into the Magic Box, the bell above the door ringing. Seeing he had been unnoticed he crept to the back room where he suspected the occupants would be hiding. He stood just behind he open door but was close enough to hear the occupants talk.  
  
Willow continued. "Its not like he doesn't love you. How many people would let themselves be tortured by a hell god for you and Dawn? Plus, you know, no holding back like you were complaining about with Riley." The Scoobies and the AI teams eyes bugged out of their head while Spike just chuckled.  
"What did you do to him, Slayer?"  
Buffy looked at the floor sheepishly. "I kinda kicked him across the room," she muttered. Buffy caught Spike's look and suddenly realised what he was thinking. "We were sparring," she added, hastily. Spike jus gave her his 'Yeah, sure, Slayer' look and Buffy blushed about twelve shades of red.  
  
Frustrated by the playful exchange Angel pushed Spike harder against the wall trying to assert his dominance amongst the room again. Hearing the crack Buffy sighed. Macho, over possessive vampire's really irritated her. "Angel, you have no right." Her words his Angel like a kick in the groin and dropped Spike in a millisecond.  
Angel eyed Buffy guiltily. "The thing you have to understand, Buffy, is one of the last times I saw Spike, he had me chained in a tin shed and tortured by a paedophiliac vampire."  
"No, Angel," Buffy asserted, "the thing you have to understand -" Buffy was cut off by raucous laughter coming from the doorway. She and Angel both turned to find Xander laughing his heart out, clutching the doorframe to keep from falling over.  
"Oh, man the imagery." Xander giggled out. "What I would have given to see that! Angel... chains... ha. And might I add a huge hee." Angel glared sulkily at the young man and was not amused to find that Anya, Dawn, Tara and Willow were all giggling along with him. Not impressed he turned to Buffy to continue their conversation only to find her gallantly trying not laugh and not doing a very good job of it.  
  
The man at the front of the shop decided that the lull in the conversation was a good time to make his presence know. Stepping into the open doorway, he dropped his suitcase with a thud and coughed loudly. The room turned to the intruder with slight malice, unimpressed with being interrupted.  
"Giles!" Dawn squealed, the first to react, and flung herself at her father figure. One by one the female Scoobies hugged Giles, clinging to him hard for a second as if afraid he was going to disappear, whilst Xander gave Giles the manly version of a hug. Buffy hung back until Giles extracted himself from the group. "Ooff!" Giles grunted as he found himself enveloped in a slayer hug.  
"I'm screwing up so badly," Buffy mumbled into his shoulder. Being in her surrogate father's embrace Buffy felt the sudden urge to spill her guts. "I'm sleeping with Spike," she whispered as if her mouth had suddenly taken her over.   
  
Giles pulled back from her, his expression unreadable. Buffy visibly shrunk back, expecting to be lectured on the reasons not to sleep with a vampire. What Giles did next completely befuddled every person in the room and most probably would for the rest of their lives. Slowly Giles' face broke into a grin, then a goofy smile, shortly after her stated to giggle and finally he lapsed into full blown laughter.  
"Giles, I'm not kidding," Buffy exclaimed, extremely put off. Giles nodded his head, laughing so hard that tears had started to pour down his face. Buffy tapped her foot impatiently as Giles tried to get his laughter under control.  
"I know," Giles managed still having trouble breathing. "Its quite amazingly funny, although you may not think so."  
"So clue me in," Buffy asked getting pissed off with Giles' amusement at what she saw as a failure.  
"I think everyone saw it before you did." Buffy looked at Giles quizzidly. "Except of course Xander, I suspected since you trusted him with your mother and Dawn. Things were just to crazy Glory at the time for anything to happen." Buffy looked at Giles thoughtfully and appeared to physically digest the information. Buffy was silent for a moment and an attentive observer may have been able to say that they saw as each thought passed through her mind. Finally she clasped one she felt she could voice. "Why are you here?" Giles suddenly began to clean his glasses furiously and Anya groaned quite loudly. No one needed to ask why they were all dreading his answer now. Giles with clean glass meant something bad was afoot.  
  
TBC  
  
Its simple... read/review. Don't take that much time.  
"I suggest we sit down first," Giles started but before he had even finished the occupants had left the room and were already settling themselves around the magic shop for a research session. 


	4. With the Uh and Oh

Across The Night  
  
Summary - Something's brewing on the Hellmouth. Spike and Buffy are wigging. Angel's dreaming. There's a slayer from the other side of the world. It is big with the uh and oh. B/S  
  
Timeframe - Just before 'Dead Things' on Buffy. After 'Waiting in the Wings' on Angel. Title is from a silverchair song... not really anything to do with the story. You should get their new album though, it's bloody brilliant.  
  
Rating - R (I think. American ratings are so weird.) Equivalent to M15+ if you wanna go the Aussie way.  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine just borrowing. Would love to keep Spike though.  
  
A/N - One of my first attempts at fanfic. Please read and review, I really wanna know what ya think. If you want it take it. I'd be flattered. Just let me know where it's going so I can gloat.  
  
With the Uh and the Oh  
  
Lilah Morgan strode down the corridor of Wolfram and Hart briskly. She was so dead. Angel and his cronies had all disappeared off the face of the earth - again. The senior partners would be ... displeased. Sighing Lilah pushed Linwood's door open and stepped inside.  
"When were you planning on telling me Angel was in Sunnydale?"  
Lilah sighed a huge sigh of relief, without actually making a sound. At least she knew where he was. Silently she was thankful for the fourteen hours in Files and Records. At least she had stumbled across information on Sunnydale otherwise she would have thought it was just another town they had deemed unworthy of being mapped.  
"About five seconds from now," Lilah replied sharply. "My sources tell me he's visiting his ex-girlfriend, the 'Slayer'." Sarcasm now began to creep into her voice. "A young girl with super powers chosen to stop the spread of evil and its swell in numbers. The same girl who caused him to lose his soul the second time. Long story short, big love, huge angst and he left. Anyway its probably the end of the world, either he was told by one of those pesky visions or the love of his unlife made a distress call."  
  
Linwood took in this without the bat of an eyelid. "End of the world?" he questioned. Lilah nodded. "You're going to watch."  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
The Scoobies gathered around the table with impending looks of doom etching all their faces. Buffy had pointedly positioned herself across from Spike who sat smoking on the loft stairs. No one seemed quite sure what point she was making though. One minute she was cold and distant and then the next they were having silent conversations across the room. Dawn sat quietly observing the pair sitting at Spike's feet, idly playing with his bootlaces. Angel was leaning heavily against the counter, with Gunn next to him. Fred was off to the side nursing Connor, cooing softly too him. Giles and Wesley had quite naturally taken up residence at the research table along with Tara, Willow, Anya, Xander and Cordelia. Lorne was standing in the training room doorway watching everyone's interaction with great interest.   
  
A picture which Angel and Cordelia had drawn from Cordy's vision was being passed around. Buffy had demanded an explanation of Cordelia's vision before Giles told his story. She'd given no reason why but no one wanted to argue with a brassed off Slayer. Spike took the picture from Tara, who'd made the appropriate ick face, with a tight smile. Spike took on a look a recognition as he saw the picture properly for the first time.  
"You seen this, Slayer?" he asked, in an all business tone which he knew pissed her off. Buffy looked up at him immediately on the defensive. Spike smirked irritatingly.  
"You killed one, you killed them all," Buffy shrugged barely even looking at the piece of paper.  
Spike's smirk broadened to the point where Buffy just wanted to smack it off his face. "So the fact that killed one a week ago doesn't bother you at all." In one fluid motion Buffy jumped from her chair and over the table to snatch the drawing from Spike. As she took the picture her mind was suddenly wrenched one week back.  
  
One week ago, Spike's crypt  
"You're a pig, Spike," Buffy ground out as she pulled on her shirt. Stupid vampire with his stupid conquests.  
"You like to roll in it, luv," he replied sliding into his pants. Buffy just rolled her eyes, exasperated and continued to make her way out of the crypt.  
"You really should think 'bout it pet."  
Buffy froze halfway up the ladder.  
"No," she replied to his unasked question. Spike strode across the room, spinning Buffy around on the ladder effectively pinning her between himself and the ladder. Buffy was rapidly losing body function because of Spike's mere proximity. Definitely of the not good. Taking the advice of American Pie 2, Buffy tried desperately to think of unsex related thoughts. Taking a deep breath Buffy looked Spike levelly in the eye. "Not gonna happen," she told him firmly. Spike took on a look of defeat and leant back giving Buffy a bit more room.  
"So you gonna tell the 'Bit what exactly?" he asked with a slight smirk.  
"That you couldn't make it?" Buffy suggested innocently.  
"And the Nibblet is gonna believe you after she begged and conned her way into getting me to ask you?"  
"This is your fault anyway," Buffy threw back. "You're the one who suggested that she should be trained."  
"It was an idle thought"  
"You don't have idle thoughts around my sister," Buffy almost growled. "She tends to take them seriously."  
"At least it was a good idea. That girl tends to get herself in shit every other day. Plus it's a good idea with the 'Bit getting around with those losers."  
"Like they'd get close enough with you around. And don't call my sister's potential boyfriends losers."   
"So you want her dating complete gits?"  
"No!" Buffy exclaimed absolutely fuming. "Look, Spike, I can't get -" BANG.  
  
Buffy stopped short as she heard the bang of the crypt door upstairs. Exchanging quick looks, Spike grabbed the battle axe at the foot of the bed and tossed it to Buffy. As Buffy climbed the ladder for a quick re-con Spike began to hunt around for a weapon. Finding a sword beneath the bed, he turned to Buffy who was signalling that there was one demon who was very large. Seeing Spike's nod of assent, Buffy disappeared to the top level. Without a thought Spike quickly followed her. Spike emerged to see Buffy fighting a seven foot scaly, pus demon and none to surprisingly kicking its arse. Seeing she was having no trouble and quite enjoying her Spike sat back to watch.   
  
She was absolutely spectacular to watch in action. Buffy delivered a swift kick to the demons chest and as the demon stumbled backward she decapitated it with one quick motion. Buffy turned to Spike and cocked her head to one side, breathing hard, "You really are an ass, Spike."  
  
Present  
"Oh, dear lord."  
Buffy shook herself out of her revere to see Giles looking quite dismally at the demon. Buffy sighed and looked at Giles, trying to decide whether his 'oh, dear lord' actually meant the end of the world or if he was just over reacting. Seeing her look Giles decided to explain.   
"It's the end of the world, I think."  
"Again!" Anya, Xander, Willow, Tara, Dawn and Spike all whined.  
"What do you mean, you think!" Buffy exploded at the same time.  
"We-well I just have to do some research, but I'm all the signs lead to the apocalypse. Plus Cordelia had a vision so it has to be something rather catastrophic."  
Buffy threw Giles a mock glare but seemed to accept his explanation and sighed.  
"So that would make number seven," Willow asked sounding rather tired.  
"Seven!?" Gunn asked shocked. The core Scoobies just nodded each with an expression of solemn knowing and dread.  
Giles ignored him and continued. "I think I better tell you all why I'm here." Buffy nodded her assent. "The council has found an ancient text suggesting that the end of days is dawning."  
"So its not a prophecy?" Angel interrupted.  
"There's a difference?" Buffy asked curiously.  
Giles ignored her. "Its not a prophecy as such. It makes allusions to a Slayer fighting side-by-side with vampires. The text also describes these very demons as the very thing which will bring forth the end of the world."  
"So, you're here because some ancient mumbo jumbo makes "allusions" and you come running to good ol' SunnyD." Spike scoffed. "Thought you had brains, Ripper, mate." Still within striking distance Buffy smacked Spike on the arm and then grinned innocently at Giles.  
"So what do these demons want exactly?" Buffy questioned.  
Giles faltered again. "Ah, I'm really not too sure." Buffy gave Giles a slightly infuriated glance. Not exactly what she wanted to hear.  
"I'm guessing its research ahoy," Xander put in, not entirely happy about that fact.  
  
Buffy nodded with a look of disgust on her face. Clearly research was not what she had in mind for the weekend. "Will, I want you to get on the computer. Find out whatever you can. Cordelia, you can help. Xander, I want you to take Gunn to Willie's." Xander nodded a glint in his eye. "If you two even think about getting into a fight I will personally kick both your asses from here to France. Got it." The glint quickly disappeared from Xander's eye and he and Gunn nodded, both obviously disappointed. "Tara, can you see what we've got magic wise. Anything you think might help, locaters, boils, anything. Spike, Angel, we'll patrol tonight. The rest of you research. Dawn if you even think about complaining you're going to be grounded for the next forever."  
Fred and Gunn each shared stunned looks, both extremely surprised that such a little girl could inspire such a huge amount of command, even over Angel. Still they didn't question her. Timidly Cordelia slowly raised her hand.  
"Cordelia, what is it?" Buffy snapped.  
"Ah, Fred's way better at the hacker stuff than I am," she put forth.  
"Fine, Fred you got the computer stuff with Will." Fred nodded and once again exchanged a look with Gunn, both surprised by the sudden timid side of Cordelia they had never even glimpsed.   
  
"Buffy, you forgetting something?" Spike suddenly prompted. Buffy glared daggers at him, her mind suddenly racing as to what she might have forgotten. Connor suddenly gave out a gurgle. Buffy's eyes widened.  
"Connor! Angel, I'm so sor-" Angel quickly waved her apology away.  
"It's okay. Lorne can take care of him."  
"The green guy!" Anya exclaimed bluntly.  
"Green guy standing right here," Lorne added mock insulted.  
"Connor's not exactly what Spike meant," Dawn said, coldly.  
Buffy took on the Scooby trademark look of a rabbit caught in headlights and visibly began to rack her brains once again. Willow could almost see the cartoon light bulb go off above Buffy's head. "Saturday. Bronze. Dawnie, I'm so sorry." Dawn gave Buffy and angry look which didn't stay for long. Buffy had a terrified look on her face; one she had not even seen when she had to face Glory. Dawn couldn't help but giggle. All cool and collected when she had to face a hell-god but when it came to forgetting a promise to her sister she went all jelly-belly. "New plan," Buffy commanded. "Tonight we Bronze, then Spike, Angel and I will patrol. It'll be like old times." Buffy thought about what she just said for a second. "Old times, if we were friends with Spike and we were a heap older and with people we only met last night."  
"Buffy, surely you don't think it wise to go clubbing. We don't know what's out there." Wesley spoke up sounding very much like the prig he was when he first came to Sunnydale.  
"So definitely like old times. I promised Dawn," Buffy told him flatly. "In the meantime, we'll find out what we can. Angel," Buffy grinned wickedly, "let's see if you've still got it. Or has LA made you soft?" Buffy turned on her heal and disappeared into the training room. Flicking his cigarette onto the floor much to Anya's disgust Spike grinned and followed. Angel slowly pushed himself of the counter a smirk etching his features and he too disappeared into the back room.  
"Great," Anya muttered, "we get stuck here to do all the work while they go off and fight." Ignoring her the rest of the occupants in the shop did exactly what Buffy had ordered them too. Soon the Magic Box fell into a comfortable silence, except for the clacking of keys and the occasional thud or grunt from the training room.  
  
TBC 


	5. Kye Rumption

Across The Night  
  
Summary - Something's brewing on the Hellmouth. Spike and Buffy are wigging. Angel's dreaming. There's a slayer from the other side of the world. It is big with the uh and oh. B/S  
  
Timeframe - Just before 'Dead Things' on Buffy. After 'Waiting in the Wings' on Angel.   
  
Rating - R (I think. American ratings are so weird.) Equivalent to M15+ if you wanna go the Aussie way.  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine just borrowing. Would love to keep Spike though. Title is from a silverchair song... not really anything to do with the story. You should get their new album though, it's bloody brilliant. The song in this one is Michelle Branch. I kinda have an obsession with her *shame, shame, shame*.  
  
A/N - One of my first attempts at fanfic. Please read and review, I really wanna know what ya think. If you want it take it. I'd be flattered. Just let me know where it's going so I can gloat.  
  
Kye Rumption  
  
I want you but I'm not giving in this time.  
- Michelle Branch  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
The day had been fruitless, no fruit for the Scoobies. Willy knew nothing, even with the threat of severe beatings courtesy of the Slayer and vampire with a soul. Research had provided jack, except if you wanted to learn how to make a cat talk gibberish. Willow and Fred had only managed to find a few works of fiction, nothing concrete. Willow had for a second thought she had found the Council's database, until Wesley explained that everyone on the Council was as computer illiterate as Giles. So to make the absolutely crap day better the only option seemed Bronzing.  
  
The gang had dispersed a short time ago only to reconvene at the magic shop each supporting a fresher smell. All were dressed to party, except for Giles, Wes and Lorne who had opted for the safer alternative in research and babysitting.   
  
So began the trek to the Bronze. As the Scoobies and the AI gang began to walk they each fell into step naturally. Spike and Buffy leading up front, followed by Willow and Tara, then Anya and Xander, Dawn walked on her own lost in the mysterious world of a fifteen year old. Gunn and Fred followed Dawn wrapped up in each other and finally brining up the rear were Angel and Cordelia.  
  
Willow's heart began to beat at a quite unnatural pace as Tara fell into step beside her.  
"Y-you look good," Willow stumbled.  
"Thanks," Tara whispered back as though something was caught in her throat. The Wiccas resumed their walk in silence and continued that way for a few minutes before Willow couldn't stand it much longer.  
"The magic thing," she blurted, "I had no idea what I was doing. You tried to tell me and I wouldn't listen. I'm sorry, but I was in so deep, I didn't realise. And its hard. Every second is hard, knowing what I did to you and Dawn and... everyone. And I can't just fix it. I know it will take time. But, what if I never fix it? I hurt everyone so deeply. But that's not the hardest thing. The hardest thing... is... what if you never forgive me." Tears welled in Willow's eye and a single saltwater droplet made tracks down Willow's face.   
  
Quietly Tara took Willow's hand. "I've already forgiven you. It's the trust which still needs some work." Willow looked up at Tara utterly broken. "I think the patches are just about ready to be sewn on," Tara finished tenderly. Willow beamed at Tara, tear tracks still marring her child-like face.  
  
"You're a pig, Spike!" Buffy yelled, breaking the couple's tender moment. Exchanging a knowing glance Tara and Willow both burst into fits of giggles.  
Buffy and Spike had been walking along exchanging barbs as they were accustomed too. After Buffy's pig accusation they both fell into silence. They each were becoming itchingly aware of the chasm which was growing between them. It was Buffy who decided to bridge that gap. "This is just weird," she blurted out. There seemed to be a lot of blurting in Sunnydale tonight. Cautiously Spike eyed Buffy. "Angel back and he has a son. His little gang are like the uber-Scoobies. The world's ending, again. My friends all know we're boinking and to add to the weirdness they really don't seem to care, except for Xander. Well, Xander would think it was wrong if I was boinking Jesus, so he doesn't really count." Spike gave Buffy a pointed look which clearly asked her to get to the point. "Point is," Buffy contiued, "my friends all know, Dawn even has allusions of some Jane Austen romance, when I really have no fricking clue as to where we stand."  
"The same place we always have, pet," Spike answered, with a slight smirk.  
"How can you say that?! Everything's changed!" Buffy exclaimed, rapidly becoming exasperated and bordering on hysteria.  
"From here everything's exactly the same," Buffy's frustration grating on Spike's nerves. The pair stopped in their tracks. "I still want the same thing. It's you who can't make up their bleeding mind." Seeing the blonde pair stop the gang had gathered a short distance away, unable to help but listen in. "You work out what you want," Spike continued, "come tell me. I'll organise the fricking parade. Trombones and all."  
"If you weren't such an ass and then shock, horror actually kinda sweet maybe I wouldn't be having such a hard time."  
"So this is my fault now?!"  
"No... yes... I don't... God, I hate you."  
"And I'm all you've got," Spike replied a smirk playing on his features. Buffy's face softened slightly her anger dissipating as she remember the night he used those same words by the police car.  
"Just give me some time," Buffy said, sighing.  
"Got all the time in the world, Slayer." Buffy gave Spike a small smile he rarely saw as he started to walk off. "Ya coming?"  
"Nah," Buffy shook her head. "I wanna talk to Dawn for a second." Spike gave Buffy a small wave over his shoulder in acknowledgment. Buffy smiled broadly as she turned to go find Dawn. Her smile vanished when she saw her friends gathered in a small little huddle. "You just heard every word, huh?" Buffy asked blanching slightly.  
"I think the whole of Sunnydale heard you," Willow told her sympathetically. Buffy turned whiter still. "Even the part about boinking?"  
"We heard that," Anya said bluntly. "And for the record, I think it would be very, very wrong of you to be boinking Jesus."  
"Anyone go to that scary image place?" Cordelia asked. Xander, Gunn, Willow, Tara, Anya and Angel all raised their hands the same sheepish look on all their faces. Buffy made her 'eww' face and quickly decided it would be much safer to be talking to Spike, so she turned to catch up with him.  
  
"You realise y'all seriously disturbed?" Gunn asked them as soon as Buffy was out of earshot. However Gunn was ignored.  
"Aren't they cute?" Dawn asked with a goofy grin plastered on her face.  
"I'm still working through the 'I'm all you've got' pitch," Xander added, obviously trying to steer the conversation away from its destination.  
"Cute's not exactly the way I'd describe it," Tara answered.  
"You're right. Evil and disturbing just about covers it," Xander interjected. Anya kicked him in the shin. "Ow!"  
"I was actually going to go with romantic," Tara told him. Xander's nose scrunched up into his version of the 'ick face'.  
"Kye Rumption," Fred blurted out. The whole gang turned to Fred and looked at her like she had just sprouted an extra head, all except for Angel who had gained his brood face. Cordelia twigged that Fred had used the word before but it still meant goobly gook to her.  
Fred rushed to explain, "The undeniable attraction between two great warriors." Willow, Tara, Anya, Fred and Dawn had all gained the dreamy, wistful look which had terrorised men for centuries.  
  
Cordelia however was studying Angel quite intently. She now remembered completely where she had first heard Fred use that word. It was in relation to her and Angel. No WAY! Her and Angel. Pfft. That girl was definitely insane.  
  
"Okay, ladies," Gunn started in a kinda freaked tone. "I think we'll all be a lot safer if we all just go to this Bronze place and try to forget all the boinking images." Xander gave Gunn an extremely grateful look and began to drag Anya to the Bronze.  
  
The Scoobies and the AI gang entered the nightclub and quickly spotted Buffy and Spike who'd found a table and were arguing animatedly.  
"Are they always like this?" Angel asked slightly exasperated. For the whole day in the training room all they had seemed to have done was bait each other and argue about nothing.  
Looking thoughtful Willow nodded. "I thought now maybe they wouldn't be as bad, but they're actually worse."  
"Maybe they're just horny," Anya suggested and everyone within earshot made the 'ick face'.  
"An, honey, that is exactly not what we wanted to hear right now," Xander said still a lot grossed out.  
  
Ignoring him Anya began to make her way over to the arguing couple. After a quick shrug and the cleansing of all mental images the rest of the gang began to follow. It was a typical Saturday night at the Bronze, well except for the crew from LA making their surprise visit. Fred and Gunn were as always joined at the hip, whilst Cordelia had managed to get Angel on the dance floor. How, was a mystery to everyone at the Bronze. Xander and Anya were off having the fun while Willow and Tara were off dancing, becoming almost the one entity. Only Dawn, Buffy and Spike remained at the table.  
"So, what do you think's going on with those two?" Buffy blurted out, gesturing toward Angel and Cordelia.  
"As far as they can see, nothing," Spike told them.  
"You're kidding," Dawn asked shocked, "it is so obvious."  
Spike and Buffy locked eyes. "Sometimes people can't see what's right under their noses," Spike drawled. Buffy flushed. Dawn watched with interest as Buffy and Spike held each others gaze, oblivious to what was going on around them.  
  
"Hey, Summer's!" Dawn heard a familiar voice yell. Buffy and Spike jumped at least a foot off their chairs, each bumping the table causing minimal drink spillage. The group turned to see the owner of the voice approach the table. A young girl in a white spaghetti strap top with 'Bitch' written across the chest in pink, a short black shirt and feet clad in black knee high boots. Some may say she looked like a hooker but the brilliant smile and innocent face quickly dispelled that rumour. The girl was petite but well muscled. Her brown hair framed her cut face in slight waves and her skin was well tanned, suggesting many days sitting on the beach. She was in a word, gorgeous. Her most striking feature, however, were her eyes, a piercing ice blue which sparkled as she smiled. Somehow her eyes seemed familiar to Buffy.  
"Alex," Dawn greeted, as the girl reached the table many male eyes following her. "Buffy, Spike this is Alex. Alex. Buffy, Spike." Spike nodded at the young girl in greeting as he felt a feeling of familiarity wash over him as he looked at the pretty girl.  
"Hi!" Buffy waved.  
"G'day!" Alex replied, her thick Australian accent hitting Buffy for the first time.  
"The exchange student," Buffy stated as Alex nodded.  
"So you actually listen to some of the things I say," Dawn flung at her.  
Before Buffy could answer back, Alex interrupted, "You wanna come dance?" she directed at Dawn. Nodding Dawn slid off her chair and moved next to Alex.  
"Remember, 'Bit, no drinking, smoking..."  
"No dark alleys and if a guy with no fashion sense corners me, I come straight back to you and Buffy." Dawn interrupted Spike. "Gee, Spike I actually have some brains."  
"I'll believe that when I actually see some proof," Buffy told her, with a grin.  
Alex was now staring at Spike with a strange look on her face. "British, I like," she drawled and flashed Spike a grin which obviously got her anything she wanted when a male was involved. Seeing this Dawn grabbed her arm and began to drag Alex in the opposite direction. As they left Buffy and Spike heard Alex chide, "You didn't tell me he was British. And you didn't tell me he was absolutely deadly. Serious information omitting here. Ya know, not good for the soul."  
"For Christ's sake he's just Spike. And if you go anywhere near him you better be prepared for some serious physical damage from my sister. She tends to get that way over her guys," Dawn replied, very amused.  
  
"Skank," Buffy muttered.  
Spike smirked at Buffy casually. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Willow plonked herself down on Dawn's vacated chair, her face red from dancing.  
"There's definitely the groove thang going tonight," Willow told them. "You really should get out there, Buffy. Show off you're whilly Slayer charms. You're missing some quality fun." Buffy remained silent, her eyes fixed in one spot. "Buffy?" Willow questioned.  
"Huh?" Buffy asked shaking herself out of her daze.  
"Drink?" Spike asked, for once with some tact. Buffy nodded and handed him her empty glass.  
  
"So you and Spike, huh?" Willow asked as Spike made his exit.  
"God, Will, its a disaster. All we do is fight, shag and then fight some more. And I'm having lusty wrong feelings." Buffy rested her head on the table and groaned in utter despair. If Willow was shocked at her sudden outburst she didn't show it.  
"Do you love him?" Willow asked, straight to what she believed the heart of the matter.  
"No!" Buffy answered way to quickly. Willow looked at her skeptically. "I don't know," Buffy whined. "It's just so... I mean its Spike. He's tried to kill me so many bloody times I've lost count."  
"It must be pretty serious, your using Spike-isms." Buffy's eyes nearly fell out of her head. "Shag and bloody." Willow told her but Buffy wasn't listening. Willow followed Buffy's gaze to where Spike was at the bar. A good-looking girl had come up to him and was openly flirting with the vampire.  
"God, what is it with him? Its like the fifth girl tonight," Buffy fumed.  
"Well, you've gotta admit he's quite he hottie," Willow suggested.  
"Yeah, you should see him naked," Buffy replied, her mind obviously elsewhere.  
"If I didn't know better I'd say you were the Buffy-bot," Willow teased, only to be ignored once more.  
"God, why doesn't he start his own fan club," Buffy muttered. Willow looked up to see Spike had been joined by yet another girl and they were now both flirting with the said hottie. "This is ridiculous," Buffy muttered and stormed over towards Spike. With a forced smile at the two girls Buffy grabbed Spike's arm and dragged him off towards the dance floor.  
"Must you always do that?" Buffy questioned.  
"Do what?" Spike feigned innocence.  
"That," Buffy replied, with the wave of her hand at the two girls who were now glaring at Buffy absolutely livid.  
"Jealous, pet?"   
"No!" Buffy answered too quickly. "Just shut up and then we'll both be happy." Spike smirked and raised his eyebrow sceptically. "Just dance," Buffy told him. Spike complied, slipping his arms around Buffy's waist while Buffy rested her head comfortably on his chest. As if mocking the pair the music shifted into the slower and sappier pace of Michelle Branch's 'Goodbye to You'.  
  
Xander and Anya now joined Willow and Tara at the table. "Will you look at that. Evil undead says he'll give her time. Yeah, right," Xander fumed.  
"I don't think Buffy minds," Tara suggested, and Willow and Anya nodded in agreement.  
"Ladies, please, delusions - I like to have them."  
"I think its sweet," Fred offered walking up behind them, with Gunn at her side. "They look kinda..." she broke off searching for a word.  
"Deadly," Gunn offered, only to receive collective looks of confusion from everyone present. "Only in the way I so wouldn't want to meet them in a dark alley." The Scoobies seemed to accept his answer after a moment of contemplation. Silently the group went back to Buffy and Spike staring.  
"What we looking at?" Cordelia asked as she and Angel joined the table. "Oh," she stated when she saw exactly what the Scoobies were looking at. Willow started to smile even more goofily than before. "I think she's happy. Buffy's happy," Willow exclaimed with the air of a child.  
Anya studied the slayer closely. "Oh my God. I think she's right."  
"Yeah, 'cause it would make so much sense for Buffy to be happy with the only creature she truly loathes," Xander retorted sarcastically.  
"Actually it does," Angel put in. Off Xander's look the vampire explained. "Very clichéd. 'My only love sprung from my only hate', 'the line between love and hate is fine', that kind of thing. Spike actually told Buffy and I that we'd never be friends. We'd love each other or we'd hate each other, no middle ground. For us it was wrong, but for Buffy and Spike it was spot on. So, yeah, it makes sense."  
Willow and Xander were staring at Angel in shock. "Angel said more than two words," Xander finally managed.  
"You came to this interesting conclusion when?" Cordelia asked, ignoring Xander.  
"About the same time Giles cracked up." Once again Angel received the 'are you stoned' look. "He's big into irony," Angel rushed to explain. Xander looked at Angel still confused but filed that one away to be thought about later.  
  
The Scoobies all turned their eyes back to the blonde pair thinking it would help them ponder what Angel had just said. It made the sort of sense which was sort of.   
  
And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time  
I want what's yours and I want what's mine  
I want you, but I'm not giving in this time.  
  
The lyrics mocked Buffy as she was pulled back to the last time she heard them. Giles was leaving, Tara and Willow breaking up, being forced to tell her friends exactly where she had been and Spike... just being there, as always. An overwhelming sense of need washed over Buffy and she pulled the vampire down for a kiss.  
  
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Xander muttered, as the group watched the couple fixated. The kiss spoke of passion, desire, distrust, lust, pain and an intense amount of need from both parties. It showed a range of emotions that no one living had ever seen Spike express and no one had seen from Buffy since she had come back.  
  
Slowly the kiss broke leaving Buffy and Spike both short of breath. Buffy jumped back her hand flying to her mouth.  
"This is your fault you know?" Buffy accused.  
"Don't quite follow that loop, luv," Spike said genuinely confused.  
"This is just wrong."  
"Vampire and Slayer wrong, or you and me wrong?"  
"Oh you just love to complicate things." Buffy and Spike's voices were loud enough to be heard over the music and the Bronze goers had cleared a circle around them giving them space, some were watching others just ignoring.  
"Me? You're the one with the serious case of split personality."  
"I don't know! Its just wrong."  
"Yeah, that's pretty much you're mantra isn't it?"  
  
Before Buffy could retort Dawn came running up to the pair, with an extreme expression of worry. Seeing them both on the defensive Dawn momentarily forgot her reason for being there.  
"Geez, you guys are fighting again?" she questioned. Buffy and Spike's collective glare suddenly jolted her memory. "It's Alex. She went off with some guy who's fashion sense is so over and an extreme case of sun deprivation."  
"Why am I not surprised?" Buffy muttered.  
"Hey!" Dawn protested.  
"Which door?" Spike questioned, trying to avoid a Summers show down. As Dawn pointed Buffy silently informed Spike of her plan. Storm in together, kill the bastard and then get back to killing each other.   
  
The vampire and slayer headed out towards the door a purpose to each of their steps, Dawn walking in their wake. Seeing the sudden change in their demeanour the gang followed them out. The sight that greeted them in the alley surprised everyone. The vampire had Alex pinned to the chain link fence by her wrists, "I like it when a man gets rough," Alex purred seductively a huge grin across her face. The Scoobies were even more surprised when Alex didn't even flinch as the vampire vamped out. Just as Buffy was about to take the vampire by surprise and Alex was about to be bit, the young teen kneed her attacker in the groin. Surprised Buffy took a step back.  
"Bitch," the vampire growled as he doubled over in pain.  
"Shirt says it all, sweetie," Alex flung back.  
  
The vampire now over his pain attack made a grab for Alex, but the girl was to quick for her. Pullling herself up the chain-link fence and kicked the vampire in the side of the face, his own blood decorating the corners of his mouth. The vampire growled at Alex.  
"Slayer."  
"Got it in one, baby," Alex smiled.  
  
The slayerettes started at Alex shocked, as she and the vampire began to fight more earnestly. "Oh, this is of the not good," Buffy announced voicing everyone's thoughts. It that short time the new slayer had the vampire pinned face against the wall his arm twisted around his back about two millimetres from breaking.  
"Stake would be good," she grunted as she pulled the arm upwards breaking it with a loud crack.  
  
Spike was the first to react grabbing a stake from his duster and tossing it to the girl. Without looking Alex plucked the weapon from the air and plunged it into the vampire's heart. Brushing the dust from her clothes Alex turned to the others. "Anyone gonna tell me who you really are?"  
"Oh boy," Willow squeaked.  
  
TBC 


	6. Wanna Taste

Across The Night  
  
Summary - Something's brewing on the Hellmouth. Spike and Buffy are wigging. Angel's dreaming. There's a slayer from the other side of the world. It is big with the uh and oh. B/S  
  
Timeframe - Just before 'Dead Things' on Buffy. After 'Waiting in the Wings' on Angel.   
Rating - R (I think. American ratings are so weird.) Equivalent to M15+ if you wanna go the Aussie way.  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine just borrowing. Would love to keep Spike though. Title is from a silverchair song... not really anything to do with the story. You should get their new album though, it's bloody brilliant.  
  
A/N - One of my first attempts at fanfic. Please read and review, I really wanna know what ya think. If you want it take it. I'd be flattered. Just let me know where it's going so I can gloat.  
Wanna Taste  
  
Lilah paced around the pokey little nightclub... if you could call it that. Angel hadn't even noticed she was there. Unsure whether to be thankful or insulted, Lilah smiled as she saw the two blondes leaving the dance floor, obviously going to stake the vampire she had sent out there. It was the best plan to see the Slayer fight. Exactly as predicted Angel and the cronies all followed as soon as they saw the couple leave the room.  
  
Lilah couldn't help but grin sadistically. The supposed love of Angel's life had gone and fallen for another guy. Judging by his dress sense definitely a vampire. It was so... hilariously funny and tragically ironic. It made her all… tingly. Letting the surveillance team do their work Lilah approached the bar for a drink. If this was the social spot of the town it was going to be a long time until the end of the world.  
  
Lilah casually made her way to the bar, and ordered herself a scotch and water, preparing herself for the wait. What she didn't expect was one of the surveillance team running up to her looking extremely scared.  
  
"Man, we may have a slight problem," he told her.  
"What?" she quickly asked.  
"There may be, err, another, um, slayer in town."  
  
Lilah looked at him hard. This was so not possible. Also a very major event which could screw this whole thing up. Knowing Wolfram & Hart that could possibly end up with her dead. "Follow them," she ordered. "Find out what's going on." Lilah quickly downed her scotch. Why was it when things were started to go well, they suddenly got bad.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Alex paced back and forth in front of the Scoobies, looking very much like a confused and caged Slayer. She was definitely about to hit something. The small girl stopped dead in front of Spike and looked curiously at him. Alex cocked her head to one side and studied him for a minute.  
"You're a vampire," she announced. Alex studied Spike for a second, keeping her eyes firmly on him, she then pointed directly at Angel. "So is he." Alex looked from Spike to Angel and back to Spike again. "Confused now."  
  
"So you're a slayer," Spike asked studying Alex from her little toe right to the last hair on her head.  
"How's that working out for you?" Buffy asked flippantly.  
  
Alex turned to Buffy, giving her a look which made Buffy feel suddenly self conscious in her black leather pants and red halter top. "I'd say its working just fine," Alex replied.  
"Well that's got to be a lie," Buffy flung at her.  
"You think you know something about it?"  
"Oh, I know more than something." Buffy and Alex had begun to circle each other sizing each other up for the fight.  
"What I wanna know is how?"  
Buffy smiled. "Let's start over. I'm Buffy, the Vampire Slayer."  
Alex let out a short, mocking laugh. "So you're trying to tell me that you in all your blonde Barbie glory are in fact a slayer."  
"Want me to prove it?" Buffy asked dropping into fighters stance.  
"Are you sure you wanna taste?" Alex replied, mirroring Buffy's movements.  
  
Behind the girls the Scoobies were exchanging worried looks. Two slayers kicking each others arses was not something they really wanted to witness due to the fact one would most likely end up seriously dead or a bystander seriously hurt. Dawn gave Spike a 'do something' look, but Spike and Angel were both way ahead of her. Spike was stealthy coming up behind Buffy getting ready to grab her before things got dangerous while Angel was doing the same to Alex.  
  
"Oh I'm sure." Buffy and Alex began to circle each other again.  
"You know, I heard there was a slayer 'round these parts. Kinda a legend. Figured it was all demon talk. Also figured she'd be a lot taller, bit more muscular. I must say, I'm a lot disappointed." Alex taunted.  
  
Buffy raised her hand to back-hand Alex but found herself stopped mid-swing. She followed her arm down from the shoulder and found Spike's hand holding her wrist firmly.   
"You know, Slayer, it is quite possible that this girl isn't evil," he chided. Alex had used this opportunity to rush Buffy but found herself being picked up around the waist by Angel. Both slayers struggled against their vampire captors, trying for the chance to beat the crap out of each other. Finally Spike had to throw Buffy across the alley and into the wall.  
"Okay, this is how its gonna be," Angel announced. "We're gonna go back to the magic shop, find out what's going on and you two are not going to beat the crap out of each other. Is that clear?"  
"Clear as crystal, dad," Alex shot at him. Xander and Dawn both couldn't help but snicker, their golden rule being - jokes at Angel's expense... always funny.  
"Ow," Buffy complained as she pulled herself up off the wall, giving Spike a pointed glare, shrugging him off as she left the alley. 


	7. Answers

Across The Night  
  
Summary - Something's brewing on the Hellmouth. Spike and Buffy are wigging. Angel's dreaming. There's a slayer from the other side of the world. It is big with the uh and oh. B/S  
  
Timeframe - Just before 'Dead Things' on Buffy. After 'Waiting in the Wings' on Angel.   
Rating - R (I think. American ratings are so weird.) Equivalent to M15+ if you wanna go the Aussie way.  
  
Disclaimer - Not mine just borrowing. Would love to keep Spike though. Title is from a silverchair song... not really anything to do with the story. You should get their new album though, it's bloody brilliant.  
  
A/N - One of my first attempts at fanfic. Please read and review, I really wanna know what ya think. If you want it take it. I'd be flattered. Just let me know where it's going so I can gloat.  
  
Answers  
  
The Magic Box door opened with a crack and a bang, causing Lorne, Giles and Wes each to jump a foot off the ground. They each tensed but relaxed as they heard Anya complaining, "That door's expensive you know." Buffy came crashing through the door, looking ready to kill something, Spike following with pretty much the same expression. They didn't pay much attention to their looks thinking everything was of the norm until a girl none of them had seen came crashing through behind them with the same expression. Angel followed her and then the gang each with a less 'I wanna kill something' look.  
  
"Okay, we're here," Alex stated. "Now I want some answers."  
"Since you're the one in our territory, I'd say we deserve answers more," Buffy flung at her. The Scoobies heads swivelled from Buffy to Alex like they were at some macabre tennis match.  
"It's the end of the world, that good enough for you," Alex growled.  
Buffy glared at Alex, absolutely furious. "Tell us something we don't know."  
"How 'bout, your a bitch."  
"That hurts," Buffy mocked. Alex moved to hit Buffy but Angel stopped her. Still furious Alex backhanded Angel, sending him across the room. Gunn and Fred still unfamiliar with the exact power of a slayer, jaws dropped and they stared at the petite girl in absolute shock and awe.  
  
"ENOUGH!" Giles roared. "You will both sit down, quietly. Then we're going to listen to both of you, without the fighting." Buffy and Alex looked properly scolded but both glared at each other as they sat down. Groaning Angel picked himself up off the ground a bruise already prominent on his cheek. Cautiously Wes took a seat next to Alex, Angel sliding next to her on the other side, obviously with a severe headache. Meanwhile Giles and Spike had flanked Buffy, prepared to stop an all out slayer fight.   
"Alex, why don't you tell us why you're here?" Giles asked, pleasantly. Buffy moved to speak but Giles silenced her with a glare.  
  
"Fine," Alex mumbled. "My watcher sent me. As I said its the end of the world and it starting here." The Scoobies waited quietly for her to elaborate but Alex kept her mouth shut.  
"How long have you been a slayer?" Fred suddenly blurted.  
"'Bout three years," Alex answered bluntly, giving Fred an icy glare. Fred shrunk back.   
"Nice try, cute little lie," Buffy told her icily.  
"What!?" Alex exclaimed. "I was called when I was 13 and now I'm almost 16, you do the maths." Buffy looked at Alex with a clear expression of disbelief.  
"She's telling the truth," Spike told Buffy.  
"But, that doesn't work. To get another slayer one has to die. I didn't die then."  
"You're not the only slayer who was active then Buffy," Giles reminded her.  
"Faith would have told us if she died, she may have been crazy but not that crazy."  
"Unless, she didn't know," Willow added quietly.  
"What!?" Buffy exclaimed.  
"She may have died... when she... went into the coma. S-she would never have found out," Willow explained.  
"So that means, I did it," Buffy whispered. "I killed Faith."  
"Buffy, no!" Willow exclaimed. "It wasn't your fault. She was helping a giant snake end the world."  
"We could have helped her," Buffy answered desperately. "We should have paid more attention to her." Buffy looked at her hands, tears welling in her eyes.  
"Bloody hell, Slayer!" Spike exploded. "Its not you're fault. She chose and once she did there is nothing you could do. Its not the people around you, its what's inside. No matter what you did she still would have chosen the dark. Its where you're powers rooted, she just wasn't strong enough to reject it. It was easy no rules, no authority, just her."  
There was chaos in the magic shop as everyone began to talk at once.  
"I'm evil?!" Alex exclaimed.  
"The Slayer's power's rooted in evil?" Wes and Giles asked with interest.  
"Huh?" Xander questioned.  
"Oh God, Buffy," Willow whispered.  
Buffy's chair scrapped back. "No, you're wrong," Buffy whispered. "You're wrong."  
"And here we go with Summers denial," Spike groaned. Buffy glared up at him. "C'mon Summers. Something you need to see," he ordered. Xander's jaw almost hit the floor when Buffy followed him through to the training room. Buffy never followed anyone's orders, not even Giles'.  
  
Spike kicked the training room door shut with his heal.  
"What?" Buffy asked, irritated. Spike didn't answer instead opened the door of the small closet where Buffy kept a couple of clean sets of clothes. Inside the door hung a full length mirror, courtesy of whoever had last owned the shop. Spike pulled Buffy to the mirror and placed her in front of it. He stood directly behind her.  
"Tell me what you see, Slayer," he asked softly.  
Buffy looked in the mirror for a second her brow slightly furrowed. "I don't see you," she commented light heartedly. "Its kinda weird."  
"Off topic," Spike chided.  
"Okay," Buffy mumbled and did as she had been told. "I see Buffy." Spike prodded her in the back an indication to continue. Buffy was silent for a moment as she looked at herself in the mirror. Frustrated she turned around to Spike, "Is there a point to this?"   
"There's a point," Spike told her, smirking. "You just have to work out what it is." Buffy rolled her eyes and turned back to the mirror pouting.  
She was silent for a moment. "This is just stupid. Can't you just tell me what I'm looking for? You're starting to sound like Giles."  
Spike took on a look of mock horror.  
"And the cryptic is making you like another Angel."  
Spike's mock horror turned to pure horror. "You take that back," he fumed.  
Buffy smiled in triumph. "Y'know the only way to fix that is if you tell me," she purred innocently.   
Spike glared at Buffy who just started back at him with wide-eyed innocence. He quickly caved. "Okay the deal is, the Slayer, its just a part of you. It doesn't make you Buffy and it doesn't make Alex, Alex. Sure the power may have been rooted in evil, that still doesn't make you evil. The slayer is just another part of who you are like being a key is just another part of Dawn."  
"Why? Why is it rooted in evil?"  
Spike rolled his eyes. "The best way to fight something is with its most powerful weapon."  
Buffy nodded, that was one of the first things which Giles had taught her.  
"Lets go, I think we kinda freaked out the scoobs," Buffy suggested. Spike nodded and followed her out the door.  
  
TBC 


End file.
